Panoramic-moving-picture apparatus



C. CERQUA PANORAMIC MOVING PICTURE-Prunus Filed July 18, 19424 2 sheets-'sheet 1- noemtoz Aug.-1-4, 192s.

l c. CERQUA4 PANORAMIC MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS vFiled July 18, 1924 2 sheets-snee; 2

vwemtoz '20 angular Width above the normal, Without The film is naturally flat, being in 'the APatentedaeg. 14,' 192a j 'l v ,1,680,498

j UNITED STATES PATENTQOFFICE;

. CORRADO CERQ'ULA, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORKfASSIGNOR TO FILOTEO ALBERINI, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y. v

PAN ORAMIC-MOVING-PICTURE APPARATUS.

Application filed July 18, 1924. Serial No. 726,812.

This inventionv relates to methods of, and insures true proportion'between. the differapparatus for taking panoramic moving pieent parts of the picture, by causing all the tures, and its primary object is to provide points of the surface of impression to rea novel method 'of feeding the film through main at practically'the same distance from 55 a suitable moving picture apparatus, vpermitthe objective. 4 i

ting the production of panoramic pictures, However, it is obvious that if the pictures that is, of pictures the angular Width of are taken transversely to the direction of which is above the normal, Without increasfeeding, this being the-result of the objecing the Width of the standard film. tive being angularly movable ina plane at 60 Another object of this invention is to pr0-' right angleto the direction of feeding, the vide, in a panoramic movingV picture apparafilm must b e curved in the sense of its Width, tus, a novel and improved arrangement of Which corresponds to the lengthofeach pho-v objective and controlling means therefor,A tOgram. In fact, I know that apparatus whereby a comparatively long exposure of have been built ori this very principle, em- 65 the film maybe obtained, in taking each ploying a film of suitable width, passing hotogram. through a curved gage forcing the film to A still further obj-ect is to lprovide a novel conform to the surface of an axially rotatand improved moving picture apparatus, able cylinder,.within which the objective is whereby it is possible to. take pictures of an mounted. 7o4

increasing the standard Width of the film. form of a "ribbon, and the feeding means Other objects and advantages ofthe pres-` therefor comprise cylindrical surfaces, such ent invention will more fully appear asthe as the surfacesof pulleys or other` suitable,

description proceeds, and Will-be particular elements; therefore the curving of its surf 75 ly pointed out and claimed in the appended face at the exposed point, creates a certain claims. amount of. friction.vvhich might react un-v Moving pictures are ordinarily taken by favorably on the operation of the machine intermittently feeding a film in a substangenerally, and Which is also liable to cause tially vertical direction,i front of astationscratches or other marks to appear on the 80 ary objective or lens, an by operating a sensitized surface.

shutter at the periods when the film is sta- The main practical objection to this artionary. rangement, ,is the necessity of using films'of The result is a continuous series of photoother than standard Width'. Moving picgrams each arranged transversely to the. ture machines using a standard 'Width of 85 length of the film, taken at the ordinary film practically all over the World, it is obangular Width of forty-five degrees. Other vious that standard films can be produced at conditions being equal, therefore, if anoa much lower figure than films having a ramic pictures` are desired, by this eing special Width; therefore,economical considmeant pictures the angular Width of which erations in this respect have considerable 90 40 is considerably above normal; it is necessary weight. l y to increase the Width of the film. Further- Another objection, as sta-ted, is the creamore, while the film is held flat across the tion of frictional resistance to the movement objective `when ordinary pictures are taken, of the film, due to the necessity of'subjectpanoramic pictures imply the use of an obing it to a transversebend, which may be 95 jective capable of angular motion, and this harmful both to the smooth operation of the necessitates a curved arrangement of the machine, and to the film itself. l film, concentric to the pivotal support of the Another objection resides in the complicasaid objective, or practically so. This pretions of design which result from the necesvents distortion of the pictures, by producsity of producing the transverse bend inthe 10u ing a surface ofv impression at'all times film. v. Y v

@Wma-1 'i9 the Object?, and' furthermore The present invention entirely eliminates period of exposure.

,these objectionable features, and not only' does it provide a method and meanswherebypanoramic moving pictures may beobtained by .using a film of the standard width, or of any width desired, but it also permits thetaking of pictures of a greater angular width than would be.`possible by the methods heretofore in use.

Apparatusy of this character` such.asv are known to me, furthermore,include an .ob-

jective which makes an entire revolution on its pivotal support, each ti'ine a photogram is taken. Onlyv anangular portion of each revolution, such as delimited by the angular width of an opening through which the iilm is exposed, is actually usedfor creating the impression on the film; the rest of the' revolution is only used to return the objective to its original' position, and this idle period of travel requires the employment of means for occulting the lens during a certain portion of' it. This arrangement therefore entails certain complications of design that itiwould be best to avoid; but, what'is more important, it also means that given a certain speed of operation corresponding to a given number of pictures per minute, the length of exposure of the film for each photogram, representing, `as it does, only a fraction vof the'total movement of the objective, is much shorter than if the time required for a complete revolution of theobjective, were devoted entirely to the One of the features of the apparatus forming one ofthe objects of the present invention, is van arrangement causing an angular motion of the objective, limited to the necessary angularA width, taking place at the time of exposure of the film, in alternate direct-ions; the objective moving in one direction 'when taking aphotogram, and moving in the opposite direction when taking the next photogram; the maximum time of exposure is thus assured, as consistent with a given speed of operation.

In -the annexed drawings I illustrate an embodiment of my invention, and in the same:

Fig. 1 is a rear view in elevation of an apparatus whereby my invention may be carried into practice;

Fig. 2 is a side view in elevation of the Isame, partly sectioned;

Fig. 3is a plan view of the upperpart of the mechanism; and,

Fig. 4 isa plan view of the lower part of said mechanism.

The apparatus comprises intermittent yfedingmeans for the film, including a pin- Iwheel 1, rotatable on a vertical axis, and

havingl pins or teeth 2 adapted to engage one of the rows of lateral perforations vin the film 3. Angular movement of said Wheel, Causes feeding of the lm in a horizontal direction. Under said wheel, is lmounted-a cylinder 4 coaxial therewith, with its'base formed into a Hat rim 5, slightly projecting from the cylindrical surface, and having a diameter equal to the diameter of wheel 1,v forming therefore a bearing surface against which the lower side of the yfilm abuts, as shown in Fig. 2. Cylinder `4 is stationary, while intermittent angular motion of the pin vwheel is' obtained by means of a Greneva motion comprising a radially slotted wheel 6, having five slots 6', integral with or attached to wheel 1, and a driving wheel 7, mounted on a vertical shaft 8, and provided with a pin 8 adapted to engage the slots. The operation of thistype of gearing being well known, it is obvious that each revolution of wheel 7 will cause one-fifth of a revolution of wheels 6 and 1, and 4that while rotation of Wheel 7 is continuous, the rotation ofwheels 6, 1, is intermittent, and takes place at uniform intervals.

IVithin said cylinder, at right angle to the axis thereof, is mounted an objective '10, which is supported by an annular support 11, carried by a vertical shaft 12, coaxial with .the cylinder, and rotatably mounted in relation thereto. On said shaft is mounted a gear wheel 14, in mesh with a pinion 15, which is driven by a geared segment v16, carried by an arm 17 pivoted at 9, in the manner whichl I will ,later describe.

Arm 17 is provided with a radial slot 18, within which projects a pin 19 fixed on the face of a gear wheel 20, mounted on a vertical stud 20.

21 designates the main shaft, which is provided with a conical gear wheel 22, in mesh with another conical gear wheel 23 mounted on al vertical shaft-23. Said shaft 23 carries a spur gear wheel 24, which drives pinion 25 mounted on shaft 8. Said shaft 8furthermore, ca rries a pinion 26 in mesh withgear wheel 20. Rotation of shaft 21, therefore is transmitted to gear wheel 20 by means of gear wheels and pinions 22, 23, 24, 25, 26; but the connection ,by slot 18 and pin 19, will cause continuous rotation of wheel 20 to be transformed into reciprocating angular motion of arm 17. In Fig. 4, arm 17 is shown at the extreme of its clockwise motion` it is obvious that one-half rev olution of wheel 20'fr'om the position shown, -will cause the arm to move in a counterclockwise direction, to its other extreme position. .These various parts are so proportioned, that one half revolution of gear wheel 20 will cause, through geared segment 16, pinion 15, and gear wheel 14, motion of the objective 10 in one direction, of the proper angular width, in this case about ninety degrees; and the other half revolution will lift) opposite direction, and of thesameang'ular width. i

. The. cylinder 4 is formed .with diametrically opposite openings 27, 28. Thev and the rear opening 28, delimitsthe spacev allotted on the, film for each photogram,

obviously corresponding to the unit of travel j jective; and when the angular width of vthe in the intermittent motion-of the film. The film is maintained close to the surface of the cylinder, in' correspondence `of openf ing 28, by a pressure or guiding block 29, and

by two/idle rollers 30, 31'; the film isthus caused tol assume the curvature ofthe` sur- `faceof the cylinder, longitudinally to the film, and this bend is thus' naturally and easily assumed during the longitudinal travel of the film,` without any7 noticeable..

. friction.

are in the proportion of 1:2, so that one' `revolution of wheel 7 'corresponds to one- 'The diameters of pinion 25 and gearwheel half revolution of wheel 20, or to one angular motion of the objective. vIf t-he operation of shaft .21 is started from the position shown in Figs. 3, 4, so as torotate wheel 7 in a clockwise direction, Vthe same will firstA cause a one-fifth rotation of wheels 6, 1, feeding the film a corresponding amount. After a certain 'relativel of wheel 7, its pin-8 becomes disengaged from the slot in wheel 6, and while wheel 7 continues its rotation, Wheels 6, 1, will re,-Y maiii stationary. Y

During the initial period of motion, a cer- -tairran ular motion of Wheelh20 has also taken pace, but in this position the corr'espending angulargmotion of arm 17 is very small, thezmotion of arm 17 being a harmonic.

A suitable shutter. mechanism, not shown,

may obviously be provided, intercepting the light to .the objective during thev period of motion of the film, and allowing the light to pass while the film is stationary; the control of the shutter mechanism being merely a' question of proper timing, its intermittent operation having the same frequency as the film feed.

film, and therefore the filmwill have to be fed horizontally for projection purposes. It is obvious, that the angular width of each photogram is absolutely-independent of the `width of the film, and therefore the main oblimited angular -motion' It willberobse'ijved, 'liowever, that while curving ofthezfilm'surface is desirable, in order toy obtain picturespfthe right pro.

if the curvature of the sensitized surface is not concentric to the .movement 4of Athe ob.-

, portions, and free from ndistortions,l sufj ticiently goodresults may be obtained even pictures, altliough'more than the normal, is

relatively limited, 'c ven a 'straight surface for the film will answer forfo'rdinaiy purposes." It will also beL observed, that while I prefer' to use a limited angular motion of thef;

Iobjective, in order to-improve'the lconditions ofexposurc, or to increase the speed of operation, or both, my method .may also be carried into practice bywusing only a portion of a full rotation of the objective, for creating anv impression on .the sensitized surface; because, .as stated, tliefmainwfeature of my invention "is theftak'ing of the pictures lengthwise to the `film, by having sinv thc objective movable inthe' same plane with` A the film, quite independently of the mechanism by means of which either the film or the objective are operated.

While the drawings represent one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, theJ 'same are to be considered as intended for illustrative purposes only, and not in a limiting scnse;'since it is obvious that most mechanical vappliances lend themselves to 'a number'` of changes and alternative forms,

which do not necessarily entail changes inv the `inventive idea. Therefore I intend to protect my iI-iven-. tion as'broadly as the prior art .will permit,

and AI reserve myself the'right to carry it a feeding member therefor iiiter1ockingtherewith coaxial with the axis of rotation of said objective.l means adapted to cause intermittent partial rotation -of said feeding v member in one direction, means associated y The filmproduced, is a continuous ser1es. of photograms arranged lengthwise to the therewith adapted to alternately cause swinging motion of said objective from one extreme of its angular travel to the. other, and Aari operating member 'controlling the operation of said feeding member and swing. ing means.

2. In a panoramiccamera, the combination', with a casing and an angularly movable objective mounted in4 said casing, of a film, means adapted to feed said film in front of said objective in a direction normal to the axis of rotation of said objective,

an intermittent gearing controlling the operation of said feeding means, a reciprocating -member controlling the operati-on of said objective, and a continuously operable membei` operating said gearing and reciprocating l member. j

4j In a moving picture camera, the combination, with a casing and anangiilarly movable objective mounted in said casing, of a film, a` feeding member therefor interlocking therewith, coaxial y*with the axis of rota;-

. 'tion of said objective, means causing intermittent angular motion of said feeding member in one direction, means associated there- .with causingl alternate swingingv motion of said objective `from one extreme of its angular travel to the'o'ther, and continuously Y operable means causingcontinuous alternate operation of said feeding and swinging means. v V' 5. In a moving picture camera, the combnation, with a ycasing andan angularly movable objective mounted inssaid casing, of a film, a feeding member therefore inter` locking therewith coaxial with the axis of rotation of .said;objective, means adapted to` intermittently cause partial rotation of said .feeding member in one direction, means" adapted to cause alternate swinging motion of said objective from one extreme'of its angular travel to the other, and continuously operable operating means causing alternate operation of said feeding and swinging means, said operating means causing said feeding member to remain stationary. at the time when said objective swings from onev extreme position to the other.

G. In a moving picture camera, the combina tion, with a casing'and an angularlymovable objective mounted in said casing,

of afilm, a feeding member' therefor inter- I locking therewith coaxial with the axis of rotation of said objective, a Geneva gearing Y cont-rolling" the operation of said feeding member, a 'reciprocating member associated therewith controlling the operation of said l objective, and'means causing continuous alternate operation of said gearing'andlreciprocating member.

7. Inf a moving' picture camera, the com-' binatiomuwith a Acasing and an angularly "movable objective mounted in said casing, of a film, a feeding member therefor coaxial with theaxis of rotation of said objective, a .Geneva 4gearing controlling the operation of said feeding-member, a recipro- -eration of said gearing and reciprocating member in continuous succession, and means limiting the field of operation of saidobjective. to that portion of its angular travel, which corresponds to periods of vrest of said feeding memben 8.In a moving picture camera,the combination,- with a casing andan angulai'ly movable objective mounted in said casing, of'-a film, means adapted to cause intermittent feeding motion of said film in front of said objective in a direction normal to the axis of rotation of said objective, positive driving means, associated therewith adapted to cause swinging motion of said objective in one and then in the other direction, and continuously operable means causing alteri'iate operation of said feeding anddriving means in continuous succession.

9. In' a moving picture camera, the combination, with a casing and an angularly movable vobjective, mounted in saidl casing, of a film, feeding means therefor, an operating'member adapted for continuous operation, means associated therewith, causing intermittent operation Yof said film feeding means and means-.also associated therewith, causing alternate' motion of saidobjective from one extreme tothe other of its 'angular travel, said film fee'ding means being opera'- t-ive when said objective is held virtually stationary at one of its extreme positions.

1 l0, In a devicewof-the class described, the combination. with a casing, an angularly movable objective and a film "of a circular rotatable feeding member coaxial with said objective engaging said film; and means for ico producing rotary movement of said feeding t forA continuous rotation, means associated therewith causing in termittent'feeding of said film in one direction and'means also associated with-said operating member causing valternate swinging motion-of said objective from one extreme to, theothe'r of its angular travel, said swingingfinotion occurring during the intervals when said film feeding means are stationary. i j .'12. In a moving picture-camera, the combination with a casing, an angula'rly mov-y able objective mounted in said casing, a film, and means for intermittently feeding said film, transversely tothe axis of rotation of said objective, of actuating means associated n' wlth said objective adapted. t0 vGaus@ the film, and means for intermittently feeding said film, of actuating means associated with said objective, adapted to cause alternate swinging motion of-said objective from one eX-treme to the other of its angular travel, and means' operatively associated with said I' feeding means, positively driving said actuating means, timing said swinging motionv to coincide with the periods of rest of said film.

' 14;. 'In a moving picture camera,the combination, with a casing, an angularly movable objective mounted in said casing, a film, and means for intermittently feeding said film,of actuating means associated with said Aobjective adapted to cause the angular motion thereof, a drivingmember rotating in one direction, and a reciprocating member operatively associated with said driving. member, establishing a'positive driving connection between said driving member and said actuating means.

15. In a panoramic -camera, the combination, with a' casing,l an angularly movable objective mounted in said casing, operating means therefor, and a film, of means-for defiecting saidfilm causing the portion thereof exposed to the action of said objective to follow an outline substantially concentric to' the axis of rotation ofsaid objective, said defiectingmeans being rotatably mounted and adapted to move simultaneously with said film. i

16. In a panoramic camera, the combination, with a casing, an angularly'movable objective mounted in said casing, 'operating means therefor, and a film, of a' rotatable feeding member coaxial with the axis of rotation of said objective engaging said film, causing it to assume the curvature of its surface, and means for causing partial rotation of said feeding member.

17. In a moving picture camera the com.-

bination, with a casing, 'an angularly movable objective mounted in said casing, operating means therefor, and a film, of a rotatable feeding member coaxial with the axis of .rotation of said objective engaging said film causing it to assume the curvature of its surface, and means for causing intermittent partial rotation of said feeding member timed to-the operation of said objective. l

18. In a moving picture camera, the combination, with a casing and an angularly` movable objective mounted in said casing, of

a film, `means for'intermittently swinging tion, with a casingand an angularly 'mov-'V said objective from one extreme to thel other of its angular travel, rotatable oper'- ating means therefor, means for transforming continuous -rotation of. said operating means into` reciprocating motion of said swinging meansand means also operatively associated with said operating means for inl termittently feeding saidfilm in' front of,

said objective in a direction'no'ri'nal to the' axis of rotation of.' said objective, said objective sweeping the exposed portionof said film While'said film i-sheld stationary for anexposure;

19. Ina moving picture camera, the combination, with a casingand an angularlyw movable objective mounted in said casing,`of

a film, means for -intermittently swinging said objective from one extreme to the other of its angularv travel, rotatable operating 'means therefor, means for transforming contiiiuous rotation of said operating means into reciprocating motion of said swinging means, 'means also operatively l associated with said operating means for intermittently-feeding said film in front of said vobjective in a direction normal to the axis of rotation of -said objective, said objective sweeping the exposed portion of said film while said film is held stationary for an exposure, and' means causing said film to as-V sume a curvature concentric or substantially concentric to said axis, at its point of ex;

posure;

20. In Va panoramic cantera, the combination with a casing andan angularly movable A objective mounted in said easing, of a film, continuously operable controlling means therefor, means associated therewith inter-4 mittently causing in continuous succession feeding of said film in front of said objective in a direction normal tothe axis of rotation of said objective, means also associated therewith causing swinging motion of said objective from one extreme to the other loe of its angular travel,vsaid last mentioned means remaining virtually stationary while the film is being'fed and said film feeding means remaining stationary while said objectiv'e swings Afrom one extreme to the other.

21. In a panoramic camera, the combination, with a. casing and an angularly movable objective mounted in said casing, of a feeding means remaining stationary while said objective swings fromone extreme position to the other. 4

22. In a panoramic camera, the combina- CTI able objectiveA pivotally mounted in said cas.- ing, of a iilm, a feeding member therefor interlocking therewith coaxial with the axis of rotation of said objective, means causing angular motion of said feeding member about its axis, and means associated therewith causing swinging motion of said objective from one. eXtreme of its angular travel to the other.

23. In a moving picture camera, the combination, with a casing andan `angularly4 movable objective pivotally mounted in said casing, of a film, means for feeding said film in front of said objective in a direction normal to the axis of rotation of said objective,

means causing swinging motion of said ob- ]ective from one eXtreme 'of its angular travel to the other, continuously operable controlling means therefor, and means operatively' associated with said controlling means, for causing continuous alternate operation of said feeding and swinging means, said operatively associated means causing said film to remain stationary at the time when said objective swings from one eX- treme position to the other.

24. In a panoramic camera, the combination, with a casing, an angularly movable objective mounted in said casing, a film, means for feeding said film transversely to the axis of rotation of said objective, and operating means therefor, of actuating means associated with said objective causing the angular motion thereof, and a geared driving connection between said objective and said actuating means.

CORRADO CERQUA. 

